Three-Dimensional (3D) Human Biomimetics for Infectious Diseases (U19 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA AI 20 009

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AI 20 009

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Three-Dimensional (3D) Human Biomimetics for Infectious Diseases (U19 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-AI-20-009; CFDA 93.855) was released to create and support a set of cooperative research centers called Human Biomimetics for Infectious Diseases Cooperative Research Centers, or Biomimetics CRCs. The central purpose of these centers is to bring multidisciplinary teams together to advance, refine, and develop innovative laboratory-based (in vitro) three-dimensional models made from human cells and/or human tissue-derived systems. These 3D biomimetic models are meant to better replicate human biology than traditional flat (2D) cell culture approaches, making them useful platforms for both basic research (understanding how infections work) and translational research (helping move discoveries toward practical tools like candidate therapeutics, diagnostics, or prevention strategies). As stated in the title, clinical trials are not allowed under this mechanism, meaning the work should stay within preclinical and laboratory model development and application rather than testing interventions in people.

This FOA uses a cooperative agreement mechanism (U19), which generally indicates a more hands-on partnership between NIH and the awardees compared with standard research grants. In practice, that typically means the centers are expected to operate as coordinated programs with multiple projects and shared resources, and NIH program staff may have substantial involvement in shaping coordination, milestones, or collaborative expectations across the funded centers. The activity category is health, and the overall emphasis is on building and using sophisticated human-relevant 3D systems to study infectious diseases in ways that are difficult to accomplish with conventional models, including potentially improving relevance to human immune responses, tissue structure, pathogen dynamics, and host-pathogen interactions.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (when they are not institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities. The FOA also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized.

Restrictions and allowances related to foreign participation are spelled out clearly. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-U.S. foreign institutions are not eligible to apply as the primary applicant. However, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are eligible, which means a U.S. applicant organization may include parts of its operations located outside the U.S. Additionally, foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed, meaning an otherwise eligible U.S. applicant can include certain foreign collaborators or performance sites when justified and compliant with NIH policy.

Administrative details included in the source information note that the opportunity was created on February 25, 2020, and had an original closing date of June 12, 2020. The record does not provide an award ceiling amount or the expected number of awards in the provided excerpt. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as an NIH-led effort to seed and coordinate center-based research programs that can produce more realistic human 3D infection models and use them to accelerate discovery in infectious disease biology and preclinical translation, while explicitly remaining outside the scope of clinical trials.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Three-Dimensional (3D) Human Biomimetics for Infectious Diseases (U19 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.855.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-02-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-06-12. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

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